# Going For Smoke



## WyldKnyght (Apr 1, 2011)

Source: Wholly Smoke: A Guide to the Best Cigars - WSJ.com

An Expert List of Classic Cigars for the Novice
By WILL LYONS

The heavy, roasted scent of cigar smoke may be an acquired taste, but for the connoisseur, it is as interesting and complex as a Grand Cru.

Wine lovers will know that the flavor profile of a decanted bottle of wine is ever-changing, as primary fruit flavors dissipate to reveal earthier, more nuanced notes. So it is with a cigar like the Cohiba from Havana, whose flavor evolves as it burns, unveiling notes that wouldn't look out of place in a wine tasting guide: woody, nutty, leathery, full-bodied and creamy.









Emma Hardy for The Wall Street Journal
The true aficionado will assess a cigar based on the first, second and third part of the stick, and the flavors they produce as the smoke dances on the palate.

Just as a glass of fine wine from a distinguished vintage is gently sipped over the course of an evening, with its appearance, aroma and texture all enjoyed and discussed, so too the smoke, taste and scent of a fine cigar are all savored and evaluated.

Cigars lovers talk about the construction of the stick; the elegance and color of the wrapper; the draw of the smoke, which should be even (easy, but not too easy); and the development of the flavor, which reaches a crescendo at the tip.

The true aficionado will assess a cigar based on the first, second and third part of the stick, and the flavors they produce as the smoke dances on the palate. Never inhaled, a cigar is to be gently puffed.

Each brand is a blend of different tobaccos from various plantations and different years, assembled by a master blender who will create the required level of acidity and tannin. As with wine, the tannins reduce with age, resulting in a smoother, gentler smoke.

Cuba is to tobacco what France is to wine. "There is something about Cuban tobacco which is very difficult to replicate because of its microclimate, the soil it is grown in and the processes which are applied to the leaf," says Eddie Sahakian, proprietor of the Davidoff cigar shop in London. "At its best, it is wonderful, and it is very difficult to match that combination of strength and aroma and complexity."

In recent years, the cigar smoker has enjoyed more choice. Swiss luxury cigar company Davidoff moved its production from Cuba to the Dominican Republic in the 1990s, making the country a more popular option among connoisseurs. Nicaragua is also an interesting and reliable producer of tobacco.

Smoking bans put in place across Europe in the past decade have meant that many of the Continent's cigar enthusiasts now have to enjoy their smoke in a walk-in humidor, specialist tobacco store or smoking lounge. Recently, a slew of smoking terraces have been opening, offering smokers a choice from cigar menus as complex and difficult to navigate as a wine list.

As a result, the short, fat cigar is very much in vogue, says Jemma Freeman, proprietor of U.K. Cuban cigar importer Hunters & Frankau who is pictured on the cover. "Partly it is a practical thing," she says. "You don't have time to smoke a long, thin cigar. But it is also a look. It is fashionable to be seen with a chubby cigar."

For the novice, but aspirational, cigar smoker, we have compiled a list with the help of several cigar experts, including U.K. cigar merchants Tom Assheton and Mitchell Orchant and importer Simon Chase, of classic smokes.


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